Spartan grapplers fall to Granville Central, Franklinton

Kerr-Vance Academy's Juan Lopez and Franklinton's Justin Thomas wrestle for position Thursday night. KVA lost 54-12 to Granville Central before a 66-12 loss to Franklinton.

HENDERSON —

The season is more than just a learning curve for the inexperienced Kerr-Vance wrestling team.
“Baptism by fire more so,” said Spartan coach Rick Frampton. “I’m putting guys out there that have four weeks experience.”
KVA lost twice in Thursday’s tri-match against Granville Central and Franklinton. The Spartans lost 54-12 to Granville Central before a 66-12 defeat to Franklinton.

KVA has eight wrestlers on the roster, but only six were available for action Thursday.
“It’s going to be a really long season, but as of right now, we haven’t got shut out once. To me, that’s a huge victory,” said Frampton. “I told them, ‘Do what you know how to do and work as hard as you can work. And as long as you do that, I can’t be upset.’ And we’re doing that.”
Daniel Currin had the only contested wins for the Spartans.
Franklinton pinned each KVA wrestler in the first round until Currin’s contest at 170 pounds.
Frampton told his team before the match to “Do something for the first time that you’ve never done in your wrestling career.”
For Currin, that proved to be taking down Franklinton’s Dominick Cotton with a single leg.
“I don’t think Daniel has ever used a single leg before because he usually hits the headlock,” said Frampton. “Our goal was to keep working and keep trying stuff that we’ve practiced but haven’t been able to hit in the match.”
Currin trailed 3-2 after the first period, but seized a 4-3 lead in the second when Cotton was whistled for two illegal moves.
“The idea was to ride him, wear him down and get out of the (third) period with a two-point win,” said Frampton.
But Currin was able to score a pin with 22.6 seconds on the clock.
Frampton said Currin, who has only one loss on the season, either won or lost all of his matches except for one by pin last season.
“When the guy was starting to break, I expected him to get a turn,” said Frampton. “I didn’t expect him to pin him.”
Next, KVA travels to Lewisville Wednesday for a tri-match with Forsyth Country Day School and Greensboro Day School.